


I want to be there for you

by Kitsune-Feuchen (Feuchen)



Series: Nekoma-Shifter-Hotel [2]
Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-05
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2020-02-26 15:09:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18719554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Feuchen/pseuds/Kitsune-Feuchen
Summary: Kuroko Tetsuya owns a nightclub and is fascinated by a cat shifter what is in his club so he wants to get to know him better.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> it's not important to read part 1 of this series~
> 
> (i'm going to write this unrelated to the hq ffs of this serie ^^)

Usually, Kuroko Tetsuya quietly surveyed the club’s guests, whom he had inherited from his father a year ago. It wasn‘t his place anyway to comment on what others did as long as they behaved within the nightclub.

He had just turned twenty, but he had already had enough experience and the rest he received from his father’s most faithful friend. Not that he absolutely needed it, but it was good to have someone with experience behind him.

That Saturday night, when he let his gaze wander around the club, he clung to a boy with conspicuous, red, slightly ragged hair, while he also had two red, pointed cat ears. From the distance from which Kuroko watched the guests, he couldn‘t look at him better, not even because he had lowered his head a bit, but he recognized a collar that he was wearing while sitting next to a muscular young man with short, dark hair. In the only lightly insulated light of the club, he couldn‘t say exactly what color the other’s hair had.

Nevertheless, his eyes turned back to the cat shifter at his side. He had something unusual about him, which was probably one of the reasons he was with this guy. Or was there another one?

Kuroko knew it was nothing special for someone to hold a shifter with them. Not everyone treated these beings really bad. There were these types of people here and there, but Kuroko knew he couldn‘t act rashly. Not at all within the club. In the worst case, that would only destroy everything his father had built and left to him.

Still, he couldn‘t take his eyes off this cat shifter. He would like to look into the other’s eyes. He wanted to get to know him somehow.

He sighed briefly before finally breathing and moving toward him and his owner. There was nothing out of the ordinary in talking to the guests here, even when he usually acted more out of the background. He‘d never been someone who liked to be in the foreground or sought contact with others. It wasn‘t that he couldn‘t go through with it, if he‘d to, and he knew that no one who knew him or that club would mess with him, but he mostly avoided it.

Just before the young man he stopped and put a smile to his lips as he looked at him. "Sorry, I couldn‘t prevent myself from looking closer at him." His voice was calm and otherwise showed no emotion as he studied the man. He was tanned and his hair was dark blue, as were his eyes, which now lay directly on Kuroko.

"You’re Kuroko Tetsuya-san, are not you?" He began, tilting his head before wrapping his arm around the cat shifter and pulling him a little closer, "no wonder. You’re not the first that admired him."

Kuroko nodded at the first sentence, then noticed how the young man grinned a little before looking back at the cat shifter whose eyes were now meeting his. They glowed a bright red, even when he seemed a little emotionless, while he didn‘t resist being held by the other. "Where did you get it from?"

"Hah?", The other one raised an eyebrow, "sorry, Kuroko, but why is this something what interested to you?"

"You are both guests in my club and I want my guests to feel good," Kuroko replied calmly, nodding briefly, his eyes still on the cat shifter.

The other shrugged slightly and leaned backwards. "Did I ever do anything you didn‘t like, Seijuuro?"

"No, Aomine-san," he shook his head and looked up from his owner to Kuroko again, looked into his bright blue eyes.

"Do you see? Don‘t worry, Kuroko," Aomine replied, then grinned, "but if you really want to know, I’ll help his family."

Kuroko looked at them and then nodded a little more, thinking about it. "Aomine Daiki?"

"Yeah," Aomine nodded, pulling his cat shifter back to himself, "and it wouldn‘t be good for my image if it turns out that I’m holding someone against his will, Kuroko."

"Yes, excuse me," Kuroko said, bowing a little more before he met the cat shifter’s eyes again. Even if he knew that it was somehow fair, he couldn‘t deny that this look was clearly catching him out of those red eyes. "May I still ask what his name is?"

Aomine raised an eyebrow, then shrugged his shoulders and cocked his head, studying the cat shifter, stroking his hair a little, and scratching one of his ears. "Akashi Seijuuro. I would be surprised if you don‘t know his family too."

Kuroko swallowed hard when he heard the other’s name, but only nodded and turned to go back through the club. Of course he knew the name Akashi. Also, if he didn‘t know that this family had a cat shifter as a child or somehow had that kind of genes. Or why Aomine helped them?

The more he thought about it, the more Kuroko felt the urge to pursue it. He also wanted to see the other again. Even if he knew he practically belonged to Aomine, that look from those clear, more or less emotionless, red eyes just wouldn‘t let him go.

–*–

For a moment, Akashi looked over the club’s owner before leaning against Aomine’s shoulder and just enjoying his crawl. "That was Kuroko-san?"

"Hm, he doesn‘t look like someone who can do it all well here, right?" Aomine mumbled calmly, sighing as he looked half at the other, "I’ve rarely seen him speak to anyone here. I think he was interested in you, Seijuuro."

For a moment Akashi remained silent, while he just looked in front of him, before he leaned over and looked forward to Aomine. "You know I’m only loyal to you, Aomine-san."

Aomine just looked silently into the other’s red eyes before sighing and leaning forward to kiss Akashi. Only slowly did he speak again. "We both know that’s just a pact to protect your family." Slowly, he stroked his shifter over his ears as he pulled him onto his lap to better look him in the eye. "You don‘t even know if they really are your parents, after all," Aomine shook his head slightly, interrupting himself as he looked at the other’s red eyes, "anyway. You also looked at Kuroko, didn‘t you?"

Briefly, Akashi looked back in surprise before simply pushing forward and leaning against Aomine’s chest. "I don‘t need anyone as long as I have you. No matter what kind of pact that is."

Aomine flinched a little when he heard the other before simply stroking his back. He wasn‘t sure if he had seen a flash of red on Akashi’s cheeks or imagined it had hit him. But somehow he had the feeling that it wasn‘t just Kuroko who had so much looked at his shifter. "I’ll be the last one to stop you from being happy with someone else, Seijuuro." Even if he mumbled the sentence rather quietly, he was sure that Akashi understood him. That he understood it the way he wanted to express it. He wouldn‘t stand in his way if he felt something for Kuroko, too.


	2. Chapter 2

Even if Kuroko tried not to think about him for the next few days, he couldn‘t help but regularly, when he spotted Aomine and Akashi in the club, looking at the shifter.

Even if he knew that Aomine didn‘t fall into the category that someone considered shifters as his pet, as others did. It was obvious to Kuroko even in those few days that it wasn‘t a compulsion why this cat shifter was with him.

It was a strange feeling that made him, after a good week, more like eight to nine days, think he wanted to get to know these two better. Or did he want to get to know Akashi better, because he was fascinated by him?

He shook his head as he studied the other. He didn‘t think he could ever find a shifter so interesting. Except one person, but that wasn‘t what he wanted to think about yet.

Finally, he nodded to himself and moved toward the two in a sitting area away to where they could be reasonably undisturbed and at the same time heard the program of the club. "Sorry if I disturb you."

"Why should you disturb us, Kuroko?" Aomine started, placing his arms behind the back of the small sofa. Akashi had his head against him.

"I just thought," Kuroko started, then shook his head and sat down in one of the more comfortable chairs opposite them, "I would like to get to know you better. After all -",

"You want to get to know Seijuuro better, am I right?" Aomine interrupted the other and raised an eyebrow, putting his arm around the cat shifter next to him, "I didn‘t fail to notice that you were watching us."

"Actually yes", Kuroko sighed after a short break. He knew there was no point in denying it. "You said it was part of a pact that he is with you."

"Aomine-san?", Akashi muttered, turning his head slightly, studying the other one.

"I know," Aomine said, closing his eyes for a moment before looking at Kuroko again, "I’m sorry, but I can‘t tell you."

Kuroko nodded understandingly, even if he‘d hoped he would know something. "What about his family? I can‘t imagine that they would allow this here."

"Do they do that?" Aomine murmured and glanced sideways to his cat shifter before sighing, "Tell me, Kuroko, do you know all the layers of this world?"

Surprised by the other’s tone of voice, Kuroko raised his eyes and looked gravely at Aomine before looking back at the cat shifter and studying him. Was there anything between them that he didn‘t know and that had led to this pact? "I actually thought I would get some news here."

Especially since he had to learn how powerless he had been when he was still a child. Should he not have noticed enough of this world yet?

For a moment, Aomine looked at Akashi, looked him in the eye, and then turned back to Kuroko, "What do you see in Seijuuro?"

Kuroko blinked and stared back at Aomine as he considered this question. Actually, he just wanted to know more about him, because he was fascinated by his appearance and because he wondered why someone like Aomine Daiki took care of him and even had some kind of pact with him. "I -"

"Do you see what everyone sees in him? A cute cat shifter, who seems to be something special?", Aomine started and now looked more serious to Kuroko, while he pulled Akashi just with his arm closer to him, "or are you really interested in him? Even if you knew his past?"

Even if he felt Kuroko looking at his shifter, he wanted to make sure it wasn‘t a deception. There had been too many who had asked him if he could lend them Akashi because they thought he was cute. Because he was such an interesting cat shifter.

To say that this question didn‘t surprise him a little bit, was clearly a lie and for a moment Kuroko just stared at the two. What exactly did he see in Akashi Seijuuro? "He somehow fascinates me. I also don‘t know how to describe it, but I feel like I want to understand him a bit more the longer I look at him."

Aomine nodded and turned his head slightly to one side. He sensed that Kuroko was clearly honest, perhaps too honest, but he also felt that he was different from others. Just as he had heard, how he was the owner of this club or how he was when he was still behind his father. Rumors spread quickly, but it seemed to be true that Kuroko was a kind soul.

"If I tell you more then not here," Aomine finally said, looking calmly at Kuroko again.

"Aomine-san," Akashi began, turning to the other, "are you sure it’s a good idea?" Even if, when he looked at Kuroko, he could only see a pure, honest soul, but meanwhile he had become more than careful. He knew he couldn‘t trust others so easily. Even his so-called parents had seen in him only one special cat shifter and he probably had only been lucky that Aomine had offered them this pact.

"I think Kuroko could do you good, Seijuuro," Aomine said quietly, stroking the other’s hair and one of his ears, "I also notice how you pattern him when we’re here."

"It’s not-" Akashi murmured, turning his head in a different direction so as not to look at either of them, as he felt a slight red glow reflecting on his cheeks, "Aomine-san."

Kuroko looked at them a little more thoughtfully while he just listened. "Yes, it would probably be good if we don‘t discuss this here and I have to take care of a few other things tomorrow, how about Friday?"

Aomine looked back at him and nodded a little more thoughtfully. "Can you at 5 pm?"

"We can talk in my office, if you don‘t mind," Kuroko replied, nodding a little, "the club opens at 6pm, but from 5 on, most of them are already downstairs. Just say you have an appointment with me."

"Good," Aomine nodded, looking at him calmly. Even though he still had slight doubts, but he sensed that Kuroko was really doing his cat good and he just hoped he wasn‘t mistaken about the other one. As much as he liked Akashi, and as much as he really wanted to be there for him, he knew that between them was always something of a pact that prevented worse things. Just as Kuroko had figured the other one, maybe he could hope that between them was more than that and that Akashi could be really happy with him.


	3. Chapter 3

By the time he met Aomine and Akashi privately, Kuroko made sure he’d done all the other things first. Along with the program schedule for the next month.

On Friday afternoon, he then looked through a bit of the things that could possibly be found to the cat shifter. Also, when he felt more and more that he wasn‘t really the Akashi’s son because of his genes. At least he had found nothing that suggested that someone in his family had this descent.

Kuroko sighed and ruffled his hair a bit. Did they just keep it secret or was there really something in it? And if so, who exactly was this shifter?

The knock on the door to his office made him look up. "Come in," he mumbled, glancing at the clock on his computer. It was too early for Aomine and Akashi to be here, so it couldn‘t be because of them, could it?

When the door opened, someone grinned at him with short, blond hair and golden brown eyes. "Hey Kuroko-cchi! I have something for you here!"

For a moment Kuroko blinked and reached for the letter. "Thank you, Kise-kun." His eyes focused on what Kise had given him before nodding slightly to himself. "Sounds good. For when?"

"For the first Saturday next month," Kise said beaming at him, walking over to Kuroko’s desk and leaning against him, "you’re waiting for someone, right?"

Kuroko studied the other. Saturday next month. That was in two weeks. He nodded something. "Hm."

"Then I’ll let you know that it’s okay!" Kise grinned and jumped up again, stretching something, "By the way, did you hear that with Nekoma?"

Kuroko nodded once again and then looked back at the information he was about to survey, before he raised an eyebrow and looked at Kise again. "Nekoma?" If he remembered correctly, it was the short form of the ‚Nekoma cat hotel‘ but since it wasn‘t really close to his club and he wasn‘t involved, it hadn‘t really bothered him yet.

"They probably had some problems recently," Kise muttered, pacing the office a little, "no idea. Just picked it up when I met my manager today." He shrugged and waved at Kuroko again, before began to leave the room. "Whatever. I’ll see that I’ll stop by again sooner, Kuroko-cchi!"

Kuroko glanced after him and sighed a little louder as Kise closed the door behind him. Actually, he was happy when he didn‘t have the other around him so often.

But before he could think about it again, he thought again about Nekoma and how Akashi actually fit in quite well with those who lived and worked there. As far as he had heard, the head of the hotel was most likely to pick up these kinds of shifter to protect them. "Nekoma," he murmured and turned back to his computer to do some research.

He blinked a little when he stopped at an article and looked at a picture. He stopped and clenched his hand into a fist as he read the article slowly. , _That isn‘t true._ ‘

Another knock knocked Kuroko out of his thoughts and with a quick click he closed the page before saying "come in". He had already realized that it was time to receive his two guests.

Aomine opened the door and walked in with Akashi, glancing around and closing the door behind them. "Hey."

Kuroko nodded to them and stood up, pointing sideways to a small sitting area so they could sit down more comfortably. He sat down on a chair while Aomine and Akashi sat down on the sofa across from him. He noticed how they held hands.

Aomine glanced aside for a moment before looking at Kuroko again. "You are acting as if something shocked you?"

"All right," Kuroko replied, shaking his head, if only to banish those thoughts. It wasn‘t a good idea to talk about what he had learned when he learned about Nekoma. "What exactly can you tell me?"

Aomine sighed and scratched something on the back of his head, leaning back. "I don‘t think the name Akashi is foreign to you. For anyone, right?"

Kuroko just shook his head, but said nothing, waiting for Aomine to continue.

"We don‘t know for sure, but hardly anyone believes that they are Seijuuro’s true parents," Aomine replied, cocking his head slightly, "rather that-"

"Aomine-san believes that they considered me valuable and therefore bought it," Akashi muttered, lowering his gaze slightly without looking at Kuroko, "I don‘t know what’s up. I just remember them and that Aomine-san brought me to him."

"That would explain a lot," Kuroko mumbled, nodding to himself, "I mean, why would you be a cat shifter if no one in your family owned such genes."

"Right," Aomine nodded. "You probably also investigated and found nothing."

Kuroko looked at him seriously and nodded curtly, "But why-what kind of pact have you closed?"

"It was a bit more difficult, but," Aomine muttered, sighing briefly, "I wanted to prevent them from selling him to this research institute, which had their eyes fixed on Seijuuro. That was about two years ago or something? At that time, we decided that it was best. So I bought him so he wouldn‘t fall into the hands of these idiots and believe me, Kuroko, there’s enough of them."

"Why did you risk that for him?" Kuroko muttered, letting his gaze wander to the cat shifter, "two years ago, wasn‘t that the beginning of your career?"

Aomine shrugged. "I’ve known Seijuuro for six to seven years now, and being scouted at the time was also a stroke of luck because it helped me."

Kuroko looked a little more thoughtful between the two back and forth. "How old are you anyway?"

Aomine raised an eyebrow before grinning. "Twenty, about the same age as you?"

A little surprised, Kuroko blinked. Of course, he knew he was only a few months younger than Aomine, but he’d thought Akashi was a year or two younger than the other. He probably just looked younger because of this whole past. "Yet you could have gone to Nekoma. The leader is known to host and protect cat shifter."

"Against someone like Akashi?", Aomine looked questioningly at the other and raised an eyebrow, looked to the side, "sorry, if I disappoint you. Nekoma is known, yes, but that what happened in the last months shows that they are powerless against someone with a big reputation in the country. And Akashi Masaomi is one of the biggest personalities in Japan, don‘t forget that, Kuroko."

Kuroko had to take a moment to swallow it. Aomine was probably right about that, but it just meant it wasn‘t fair. "Sorry, I didn‘t think that-"

"Alright," Aomine waved and leaned back, still holding Akashi’s hand with one hand, "I think I can‘t blame you."

Kuroko lowered his eyes briefly, then shook his head and looked back to the two. "No, I should know what such people can do if they really want something."

"Kuroko-san?", Akashi whispered, turning his eyes to the other, just eyeing the owner of the club.

"It’s nothing," Kuroko shook his head and wiped his eyes with one arm, "it’s better if you leave now."

Slowly, Akashi turned his head to Aomine, looking straight at him as he turned to face him as well.

"Let’s go, Seijuuro," Aomine murmured, taking a deep breath before standing with the other one, looking at Kuroko one last time before leaving the room with Akashi.

Kuroko sat in the chair for another moment before getting up and walking across the room. His eyes fell on a photo frame that showed him and a friend at the age of thirteen. On a basketball court while his friend had an arm around him. Unlike Kuroko, his friend had big, pointed ears that were as brown as his hair, while he had a bushier brown tail that stood up. "Are you still out there somewhere, Ogiwara-kun?" He whispered in a whisper as he reached for the frame with one hand and stroked the photo.

Since he had read the article earlier, he had to think more about it back then. That moment on the basketball court where they took this picture was one of the last days he had played with his friend.

He didn‘t know what his friend was doing or where he was. "I don‘t want to lose anybody who means anything to me." Kuroko knew he could do nothing at thirteen when Ogiwara was taken before his eyes, but now he wasn‘t completely incapable of anything he had witnessed. Now he knew he could make a difference by having made a name for himself in the city at the age of twenty, albeit with the help of his father.

If he hadn‘t been able to protect Ogiwara at that time because he was just too young, at least he wanted to help Akashi. "I want to help you. No, I want to be more for you Seijuuro-kun."


	4. Chapter 4

Kuroko wasn‘t able to sleep well during the night, also because he was constantly puzzled by the pictures of that day. Again and again he saw this experience, how he could do nothing, as Ogiwara was pulled away from him before his eyes.

He woke up regularly in the middle of the night, breathing heavily. He had not had any nightmares about this experience for a while.

As the sun slowly rose, he straightened and got up from his bed to walk through the apartment. There was no point in going to sleep, if only it tormented him anyway.

His apartment was on the second floor above the nightclub. The first floor was also part of the club for special occasions, while on the third floor there was room for anyone staying over by his friends.

He walked slowly into the bathroom and looked briefly in the mirror above the sink, before he just leaned forward and splashed some water in his face. He was clearly not fully awake, but he knew he couldn‘t sleep now anyway. Not if he had to think about this experience with his childhood friend all the time.

Slightly more awake, he slumped in an armchair in the living room and stretched out his legs, yawning a bit and turning on the TV to perhaps distract himself. He stopped at an already running movie, but everything was okay as long as it didn‘t remind him what had happened then.

He didn‘t even notice that he dozed off at the film. Only the news made Kuroko open his eyes again and stare at the television picture.

It was a short video of a building surrounded by the flames and a message about what it was all about.

He knew he hadn‘t been able to do anything, but he knew all the years where his friend was being held. Just as he could never forget the face of the one who had taken him back then.

"Ogiwara-kun, you were not there when-tell me you were not there," Kuroko muttered, his eyes shocked, "please, if you can ... contact me. Please, you can‘t die."

–*–

When Aomine sat in the club with Akashi on Saturday night, he was surprised that he didn‘t see any signs of Kuroko. Actually, he had gotten used to seeing him watching him - or rather Akashi. Was it the conversation yesterday, or was it something else, why he was not really to be seen?

"Aomine-san?", Akashi began softly and put his head against the other’s shoulder.

"Ah, it’s nothing," Aomine replied quietly, holding out one arm to the back of the other, "it’s probably just as usual, and we just can not see it. Why am I worrying about Kuroko, huh?"

Akashi looked at him a little from the side before he just saw in front of him. "He looked yesterday as if he were depressed or remembering something?"

Aomine nodded briefly and put one arm around the other, holding him close. "I know. As if we had triggered something with him."

"Have you seen Kuroko-san today?"

Before Aomine could focus on anything else, he listened to one of the staff a bit away, while pretending he didn‘t care. Which is why he set about scratching Akashi’s ears a bit.

"No, not since last night."

Aomine blinked for a moment, glancing at Akashi with a sidelong glance. "Maybe it’s something more," he muttered softly enough that no one else could hear him.

"I didn‘t want that Kuroko-san remembered something because of us," Akashi said softly, lowering his eyes, "can‘t we do something?"

"I don‘t think it’s just because of what he learned yesterday," Aomine said, running his fingers through his hair. "I’d like to. But we don‘t really know him at all."

"Kuroko-cchi isn‘t here?!"

Surprised by the suddenly clear voice Aomine turned his head to the side and blinked confused to the young man with those bright, blond hair, who just looked shocked at the others. "Who is that?"

"Not so loud," grumbled one of the others, looking a little confused, causing Aomine to sit back down and pretend to be normal, as if he didn‘t hear from them.

"Yeah, all right, but should I check on him? After all, Kuroko-cchi and I have been friends for a while", Kise said, grinning at the others, "he’s definitely up there."

"Aomine-san?", Akashi muttered and sat up a bit, "can‘t we do something too?"

Aomine sighed as he watched Kise walk through the club. "We can‘t go with him, Seijuuro."

"I watch that nobody else sees me?", Akashi looked at him now, whereupon Aomine turned his head to him and looked straight into those red eyes.

Aomine ruffled his hair for a moment before taking a deep breath. He had noticed how much Kuroko was interested in Akashi and he felt that it would probably help the owner of the club when he was not feeling well. He glanced aside and to Kise, then slowly sighed. "Alright. But really pay attention. I don‘t want anyone to notice. Also, if I’m sure Kuroko would it probably help if he sees you."

"Thanks, Aomine-san," Akashi nodded, straightening up and following Kise, always anxious not to be seen by anyone.

–*–

Slowly Akashi followed the other to the second floor, watching him as he unlocked the door of the apartment with a spare key and moved inside.

Akashi glanced around for a moment before walking after him and moving past Kise in an undetected moment to hide inside.

Since the other didn‘t seem to be interested in anything, but went straight in one direction, it wasn‘t that hard to go unnoticed.

"Kuroko-cchi!"

The other’s voice made Akashi cautiously peer into one of the other rooms, but otherwise he remained behind the half-closed door to the apparent living room. The only thing he could see was a part of the sofa, as well as Kise sitting down at the corner.

"Kise-kun? What are you doing here?"

Kuroko’s voice was too oppressive and not at all as he was used to. It gave Akashi a slight sting when he heard him like this. He had not wanted Kuroko so depressed about him.

"The others are worried about you, so am I, you know that, right?" Kise continued, making sure Akashi put his thoughts on the other back.

"I’m sorry, I-" Kuroko muttered, "it’s just- did you hear that from Arukawa Kouhei?"

Akashi winced when he heard the name and slid away from the door, leaning against the wall beside it and sliding to the floor. His tail swung sideways. ‚ _Kuroko-san knows him?_ ‘

"Yes, I have," Kise’s voice now quietly penetrated to him, "he was apparently killed. A good month ago?"

Astonished, Akashi raised an eyebrow and turned his head to one side. He hadn‘t heard that this guy was dead and as long as he didn‘t see it confirmed, he knew that there was always a possibility that he was still alive.

"His lab, or whatever it was, was burned down yesterday," Kuroko continued softly, "what about those who were held there? What is- Kise-kun? What about Ogiwara-kun? Where is he when this guy is dead?!"

"Kuroko-cchi calm down," Kise began, "you don‘t know if he was there, right? We find him. Certainly."

Akashi swallowed as he listened to them while he saw a little before him. Who was Kuroko talking about? Did he have a friend who was imprisoned there by _him_?

"I want to see him again, Kise-kun," Kuroko said quietly to himself, "I want to know he’s fine. I want -",

"Calm down, Kuroko-cchi," Kise replied, "I’ll talk to Kasamatsu-senpai and we’ll find him. Certainly. You can count on your friends, okay?"

Akashi blinked and turned his head to one side. He hoped so much that he could somehow help Kuroko as well.

"Thanks, Kise-kun," Kuroko said quietly.

"Hey, we’re friends!", Kise replied and Akashi had a feeling as if he was beaming at the club owner more than clearly, "now rest. I’m telling the other that you’re not feeling well today."

"Yes, thank you," Kuroko said.

Akashi jumped a little when he heard footsteps shortly afterwards, so he pulled himself up and moved into one of the next rooms, moving the door softly to have only a small gap through which he could watch Kise.

It was only when he saw the other man leaving the apartment that Akashi took a deep breath and relaxed a bit before slowly moving back into the hallway. Should he go or visit Kuroko when he was here? Was it a good idea if he showed himself to the other?

Before he could even think about it, he noticed the living room door slid open and blinked irritably as he looked straight into the club owner’s pale blue eyes. "Kuroko-san."

Kuroko looked at the cat shifter in surprise, while for a moment he didn‘t really know how to deal with Akashi being in his apartment. Had he followed Kise before? Actually, there was hardly any other way he came in here.

"Sorry Kuroko-san," Akashi muttered, bowing slightly, "I didn‘t mean-"

"Seijuuro-kun," Kuroko murmured, stepping over to the other, putting his arms around Akashi and just hugging him, closing his eyes and staying with him in the hallway without moving.

Akashi tensed slightly when he felt Kuroko hug him so suddenly, but he calmed down and finally let the other hold him so tight. Even if it surprised him for a moment that Kuroko called him by his first name. "Kuroko-san, what -",

Slowly, Kuroko opened his eyes and looked into the cat shifter’s red eyes as he slowly pulled away from him, even though his arms were still half wrapped around the other. "Stay with me, Seijuuro."

Shortly Akashi widened his eyes and stared at the other in shock, before he simply leaned against him. "What can I do to make you feel better, Kuroko-san?"

"Stay with me," Kuroko muttered, just looking into those red eyes, sliding his hands to the other’s cheeks before leaning forward and kissing Akashi. If only for the first moment only light and not long.

"Kuroko-san," Akashi murmured in surprise, just looking at him as a comforting feeling spread through him.

"Seijuuro," Kuroko whispered, a smile on his lips before kissing the other one again, this time a lot more demanding. Actually, he didn‘t know why he was doing it, but something in him screamed for it. He just wanted to make sure he didn‘t lose the other one. Not like Ogiwara.

The moment Kuroko started kissing him, Akashi ignored all other thoughts. At that moment, he just wanted to enjoy and be with the other.

For a long time they stood so close together and were engrossed in a more than passionate kiss, before Kuroko slowly broke away and just silently looked at the other.

"Kuroko-san," Akashi breathed and just looked at Kuroko as well, but he couldn‘t take his eyes off those pale blue eyes.

"Nobody will take you away from me, Seijuuro," Kuroko whispered, slowly releasing the other.

Akashi jumped a little when he noticed the other’s gaze. It felt like he was looking deep into his soul. The determination he saw in it made him shudder a little, yet Akashi knew he couldn‘t be without the other. Why did he suddenly feel that way for someone whom he had recently met? "Kuroko-san."


	5. Chapter 5

Slightly sleepy, Akashi slid sideways, pressing against the body next to him, blinking only slightly into the darkness of the room. His eyes focused on Kuroko’s sleeping face as he slowly realized he was with the club owner.

„Kuroko-san?“ He murmured, clutching the blanket over them. How long had he slept? It was still dark outside so it was probably late at night somewhere. Was it right to stay here with him when he was here with Aomine? What did the other one think if he didn‘t come back?

For a moment Akashi turned aside and started to rise when he saw Kuroko wrap his arms around him and press his face against his neck. „Uh, Kuroko-san, please -“,

„Not,“ Kuroko muttered, half asleep, continuing to hold the other, „stay here, Seijuuro.“

„I can‘t,“ Akashi replied, sighing as he turned on his back and looked at Kuroko with a sidelong glance, „Aomine-san is here and -“

Kuroko opened one eye but didn‘t let go of the other one. „I offered him a room on the next floor of this house when you fell asleep. Now please let’s go back to sleep, Seijuuro.“

Akashi sighed a bit before turning to Kuroko. Why couldn‘t he simply resist him? A brief smile settled on his lips before he pressed against the other again. „Yes, excuse me, Kuroko-san.“

„Tetsuya,“ Kuroko muttered, letting his eyes rest on the other.

„What?“ Akashi replied a little more questioningly, blinked at Kuroko in confusion.

„Call me _Tetsuya_ , Seijuuro-kun,“ Kuroko said more insistently, looking at Akashi with tired eyes.

„But,“ Akashi began as he watched the other man’s pale blue eyes watching him wait, „okay, Tetsuya.“

„Hm,“ Kuroko said and slowly closed his eyes again, squeezing Akashi back while smiling slightly, „I like it when you say my name, Seijuuro.“

Shortly he felt a slight red glow on his cheeks, before Akashi also smiled a bit and slowly closed his eyes again, also clinging to the other. „Good night, Tetsuya.“

„Good night, Seijuuro, sleep well,“ Kuroko mumbled before slipping slowly into a peaceful sleep.

–*–

The next time he woke up, it was already day and he soon realized that he was lying alone in the other’s bed. Akashi blinked and rubbed his eyes briefly. Silent sounds came to his ears, so he slowly sat up and set about leaving the room.

Just before he had crossed the hall to the kitchen and dining room, he stopped when he recognized one of the voices as Aomine’s.

Akashi raised an eyebrow in surprise before he opened the door and looked at the others, still in one of Kuroko’s pajamas. „Good Morning.“

„Hey Seijuuro,“ Aomine grinned at him and walked over, cocking his head, „did you have fun with Kuroko?“

Akashi blinked and then turned his head to one side. „We just cuddled, Aomine-san.“

„Well, good to know,“ said Aomine, stroking the other’s hair and ears before leaning forward, „I don‘t want anyone to do something to you that you don‘t want, right?“

For a moment, Akashi just looked into the dark blue eyes of the other as he listened to the whispered words. He knew that Aomine had been protecting him more often from such guys.

His eyes slid a little to one side and he studied Kuroko, who was preparing a breakfast for them. However, Kuroko was different, right? „Kuro-Tetsuya is different, Aomine-san.“

„Hm,“ Aomine said and stretched back a bit, then smiled at the other, „apparently, if you call him by his first name, Seijuuro.“ He had guessed it was a good idea to leave them alone. Not because Kuroko had so much of an eye on Akashi, but because it was the other way around. He sensed Akashi felt just as comfortable with Kuroko. That was why he didn‘t do anything about the owner of the club.

„Good morning, Seijuuro,“ Kuroko began, as he stepped to him and smiled quietly at him, after he had left the last things on the breakfast table, „let’s have breakfast.“

„Yes,“ Akashi nodded calmly and looked again with a sidelong glance at Aomine. Why did he feel so good only in Kuroko’s vicinity, although he had never really got along with strangers?

Aomine noticed Akashi‘s eyes on the other and shrugged slightly. „Let’s eat and then we should be on our way, Seijuuro.“

„Hm,“ Akashi quietly nodded as they sat down at Kuroko’s table.

Kuroko watched the other for a long while, before lifting his head slightly and interrupting his meal. „You can stay here, Seijuuro.“

„What?“ Akashi replied, looking up in surprise, looking right into those pale blue eyes across from him, before glancing at Aomine for a momentary glare, „I think it’s better -“

„I want you to stay here with me, Seijuuro,“ Kuroko said more seriously now.

„Hah? What do you mean, Kuroko?“ Aomine started, raising one eyebrow as he looked at the other.

„Tetsuya, I -“ Akashi muttered, turning his head to Aomine, looking at him a little more questioningly and uncertainly, „I don‘t think that’s a good idea.“

„I don‘t want you to doubt my decisions, Seijuuro,“ Kuroko continued to say urgently, „I will not let you go.“

Aomine glanced aside, then stared back at Kuroko with a skeptical expression. „What? I don‘t think you can decide that, Kuroko.“

„Yes,“ Kuroko said quietly, not taking his eyes off the cat shifter, „Seijuuro stays with me, Aomine.“

From one moment to the other, Aomine’s eyes narrowed before he stood up and grabbed Akashi’s arm. „We go.“

„Aomine-san,“ Akashi mumbled, but allowed himself to be pulled across the room and the corridor by the other, „I -“

„Get changed and then we’ll get out of here,“ Aomine said, slowly letting go of him, studying his shifter, „it was stupid to trust Kuroko. Everyone is the same anyway who wants you.“

„Aomine-san,“ Akashi muttered again, but then nodded and made his way to Kuroko’s room to put his things back on again. Even if he couldn‘t really believe that Kuroko should be like all the others who wanted to own him. What he had just heard clearly sounded like Aomine was right.

After getting ready, he went back into the hall and grabbed Aomine’s hand, letting his eyes glide to the side where Kuroko stood in the doorway to the kitchen and had a far too serious look on him.

„If you come near him again, I guarantee for nothing, Kuroko,“ Aomine said again, before leaving the apartment. How could he have been so wrong in the other one?

Akashi only looked back to Kuroko one last time before sighing and averting his gaze to approach Aomine.

„They are all the same, Seijuuro,“ Aomine muttered, clenching his other hand into a fist, „I am so glad that Kuroko has not done anything with you.“

„Yes they are, Aomine-san,“ Akashi muttered, lowering his eyes to the ground in front of them. Even if he didn‘t want Aomine to be right. If he still hoped that Kuroko was different. He had clearly proved that he was not.


	6. Chapter 6

Kuroko swallowed for a while, leaning against the wall in the hallway and letting himself slide down so that he was sitting on the floor. What did he actually say? He just didn‘t want to lose someone who meant anything to him.

He stretched out his legs in front of him and just looked at the other side of the hall against the wall. He should have known that it wasn‘t the right thing to force Akashi to stay with him. He just wanted to be with him to protect him because he couldn‘t protect Ogiwara.

Slowly he straightened up and dragged himself into the living room, fished for the phone and sat down on the sofa, typed in a number and then waited for the dial tone. Why had he just forever shunned the one he wanted by his side?

„Hello? - Ah, wait - yes?“

For a moment Kuroko smiled a little bitterly as he heard a few voices in the background. „Kise-kun, do you have time?“

„Kuroko-cchi? What’s happening? You don‘t sound good at all,“ Kise said a bit surprised, „uh and I have a photo shoot right now. If you want, we can meet afterwards. You know where the studio is. In an hour?“

Kuroko sighed, but nodded slightly to himself. „Yes, thank you.“

„Don‘t worry too much and ah- Kasamatsu-senpai! I’ll be right here, uh, sorry, Kuroko-cchi, see you later, will you?“

„Hm, excuse me for disturbing you,“ Kuroko muttered as he smirked a little and then ended the conversation. He knew that Kise was often busy during the day. But he was glad he could at least have some time for him.

–*–

He leaned silently against the wall of the cabin passage that led to the gymnasium, while he was currently pulling the hood of his hoodie over his head, so that someone couldn‘t directly see what he was.

Normally he wasn‘t here while Aomine had a game, but this time he just didn‘t feel well when he stayed alone in his apartment or when he was among the people in the stands.

Actually, Akashi didn‘t even know if it was right that he had refused Kuroko. But something had been so different about him. He had the last night enjoyed sleeping with him and cuddling with him. He had felt comfortable near the other, and he had the feeling that Kuroko was really different from other people. He’d really believed it.

His eyes focused on Aomine as he moved across the field. Presumably, there was no one else who treated him normally. For all, he was just a special cat shifter what they wanted to own.

The final siren made Akashi look up again, his eyes fixed on Aomine’s as he wrapped a towel around his shoulders and grabbed a bottle of water on his way to him. „Aomine-san,“ Akashi whispered when he saw him in front of him.

„Try to forget Kuroko, Seijuuro,“ Aomine said, looking at him seriously, „and I’m sorry. I should have seen that he is no different than others.“ Shortly thereafter, he smiled and leaned forward, breathed a short kiss on Akashi’s forehead. „Do you want to settle down in the cafe nearby? I hear they have something new to eat there.“

Akashi looked at him for a moment before smiling and finally nodding. „That sounds good, Aomine-san.“

Aomine sighed and scratched the back of his head, took a sip from his water bottle before turning to go back to his team. „You should stop talking to me like that. I don‘t know what you prefer, but you are not my kitten, but my friend, Seijuuro.“

Akashi looked after him a little more confused, before he just smiled. „You’re right, Daiki.“ Even though it might have initially seemed like Aomine had _bought_ him, but he’d never felt that way with him anyway. He should start to see Aomine as a friend and not as his owner.

–*–

For a while Kuroko waited at the edge of the studio, where Kise had his photo shoot, until he finally came up to him and grinned at him.

„Hey, Kuroko-cchi! What’s up?“ Kise started cheerfully as he stepped next to the other and looked at him. Of course he had noticed the other’s mood when they had talked on the phone before, but first he didn‘t want to respond to that.

„I think I did something stupid, Kise-kun,“ Kuroko muttered, just looking the other way.

„Hm,“ Kise said, cocking his head, „let’s go have a coffee or something.“ Actually, he just wanted to be somewhere where he could talk more comfortably with Kuroko.

Kuroko nodded and simply followed the other until they were sitting in a nearby cafe in a back corner.

After placing their orders, Kise looked to the other. „What did you do, Kuroko-cchi?“

Kuroko took a deep breath in and out before looking at Kise again. „I think I fell in love with a cat shifter and now made sure I’d scared him off.“

„A cat shifter?“ Kise asked, raising an eyebrow, „and what do you mean, scared off?“

„I just didn‘t want to lose anyone again, like Ogiwara-kun, so I’ve probably responded a little too decisively that I want him with me,“ Kuroko muttered softly to himself.

Kise looked shocked for a moment. „Kuroko-cchi, that -“ he paused, noticing how their order arrived, briefly glanced at the waitress as she left them alone before turning back to Kuroko, „it does not suit you, to react that way.“

„But I scared him off because I wanted to keep him with me, although I knew what he went through,“ Kuroko mumbled, looking a bit brooding.

„Can‘t you try to explain it to him?“ Kise started and looked a little more thoughtful, „you didn‘t have it easy either. After all, you had to watch how your friend was kidnapped. If you explain it -“

Kuroko looked a little more oppressed. He didn‘t know if he had a chance to do that. As Aomine had done, he would not let him have another chance to talk or explain to Akashi. „I don‘t know if I get the chance.“

„Ah,“ Kise said and stretched, „don‘t give up if you really love him. And tell him that when you see him, Kuroko-cchi!“ He had no idea who his friend meant or what the situation was between them, but he really hoped that Kuroko would once again have a chance to explain himself, to be happy.


	7. Chapter 7

Kuroko really didn‘t know what to expect when he realized the next few days that Aomine and Akashi didn‘t show up in the club as usual.

Actually, he had expected it, even if he had wished that it was different.

He knew that he couldn‘t help it, so after a few days of silent observation he retired to his office to look after important things. It didn‘t matter if he let himself go crazy.

After the first week of the next month, he gave a sigh and leaned back in his chair. It had been two or three weeks since he had last seen Akashi and Aomine.

With each passing day, Kuroko realized how much it hurt him. By now he was at least sure he loved the other one. Wasn‘t there some way he could tell him? That he could at least explain himself, even if it was irreversible, what he had said then?

„Kuroko-cchi?“, He heard Kise’s voice shortly after, when he knocked briefly and the door had opened a little gap, „can I come in?“

Kuroko just nodded and calmly looked at the other as Kise closed the door behind him again. „What is it there?“

„I have a clue where Ogiwara could be,“ Kise said calmly, smiling at the other, „at least he’s still alive.“

Kuroko raised his head and looked at Kise with a mixture of surprise and pleasure. „Honestly?“ That was at least one of the few good news he got right now.

„Hm,“ Kise nodded, grinning, „he’s abroad. Apparently he was sold to someone else? I can give you details.“

„Thanks, Kise-kun,“ Kuroko said more relieved. If his friend was bought by someone, he might also have ways to get him back. After all, he was also quite successful and he would do everything to have Ogiwara back with him. Like Akashi. „Kise-kun?“

„Yes?“ Kise started, noticing the other’s mood swing so he sighed a bit, „no trace of that cat shifter?“

Sighing, Kuroko shook his head, remembering that he‘d never told Kise who it was. But he also knew that it wasn‘t necessarily so advisable. Not yet. Even if Kise was his friend. „Before I take care of Ogiwara-kun, I want to clarify the matter with Seijuuro-kun. Therefore -,“ he thought for a moment before nodding a little, „and there is only one person who has contact with him.“

„Hm? And you want me to find that one person?“ Kise guessed and cocked his head slightly, „who is it?“

„Aomine Daiki,“ Kuroko replied as he nodded, „can you find out where I can meet him?“

Kise’s eyes widened a moment as he stared at his friend. „Aomine?! You mean the basketball player who got an offer from the NBA a few days ago?!“

Kuroko blinked in surprise as he studied the other. Aomine had an offer from the NBA? Did that mean he was leaving Japan soon? „Uh, probably?“

Kise sighed and shook his head. „Uh, why do you not tell me you know him? Kuroko-cchi, that’s nasty!“ Still, he grinned. „Ah, but good. I can handle it, no problem!“

„I didn‘t know you were so interested in him,“ Kuroko said with a small smile. Even if it was interesting how Kise’s view changed into the radiant. Was he such a big fan of the other? Nevertheless, Kuroko hoped that he could talk to him once again, and thus to Akashi.

–*–

Kuroko knew he‘d to be patient after talking to Kise, but somehow he was still nervous.

He knew that he wanted to talk to Akashi - had to - before he got along with Aomine and he probably had less chance to see him again. At least for the next few years.

But in the meantime, it was another three days and slowly he was so worried, if it was any good. If Aomine ever allowed him to explain himself and if Akashi trusted him again.

He didn‘t want to lose someone who meant anything to him again. Just because he‘d not really thought when he said these things to him.

The ringing of his cell phone made him wince a bit before he reached for it and looked at the message he had received. He recognized an address Kise had written to him, along with an „ _Aomine will be waiting for you in an hour,_ “ which caused Kuroko to take a deep breath.

He knew that it probably meant something, that Aomine at least gave him a chance to explain himself. This time he wouldn‘t mess it up again. He could only hope that Aomine understood and that Akashi gave him another chance to show him that he was really serious.

–*–

Just before the address of a small cafe Kuroko stopped and took a deep breath before entering and looking around.

It wasn‘t long before he saw Aomine, along with Akashi, even if Kuroko was not sure if he should really like it or not.

„Hello,“ Kuroko muttered, settling in an open chair across from them, „uh, I wanted to apologize for all of this, after all.“

„But you meant it, didn‘t you?“ Aomine started, folding his arms in front of him.

Kuroko swallowed, but nodded more hesitantly. He knew he meant it in a way, just didn‘t mean to say it that way. „Hm, I just never want to see someone being torn from my life, so I probably reacted a bit too hard.“

„Hm,“ Aomine said, nodding, turning his eyes to Akashi, who just looked at Kuroko quietly.

„I don‘t think you meant it that way, Tetsuya,“ Akashi said quietly, still looking at him seriously, „but it felt odd when you responded that way. I -“

„I’m really sorry, Seijuuro,“ Kuroko muttered, looking seriously at him, „and uh, I really don‘t want to have you with me just because of that. I love you.“

„Tetsuya,“ Akashi murmured, calmly looking at him, „I want to believe you and I would like to stay with you.“

„What?“ Kuroko looked a little more surprised, „I mean, why?“

„We talked about it,“ Aomine said with a shrug, „even after what I got. Whether Seijuuro is going to America with me or not. I didn‘t mean to let him in with you, but I think you have a good heart, Kuroko.“

„Uh, thank you, Aomine-kun,“ Kuroko nodded, looking a bit embarrassed at the other, „that you also trust me and such and I want to promise you that I will make sure that no one does anything to him anymore.“

„I hope so,“ Aomine said, grinning at the other before looking at Akashi, „and I hope you can finally be happy with him, Seijuuro.“

„I was happy with you too, Daiki, but, yes, thanks,“ Akashi smiled at him.

„Good luck over there,“ Kuroko said, smiling calmly, „and I hope Kise-kun didn‘t have to bother you too much?“

„Thanks,“ Aomine replied, scratching something on the back of his head, „oh, he? No not really.“

Kuroko looked at him a bit surprised, while Aomine just looked at him and showed a big smile on his face. He had the feeling that something had happened between Aomine and his friend. But if, he would soon find out from Kise enough.

**Author's Note:**

> [writing blogs, twitter and other links](https://linktr.ee/neko_feuchen)


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